The market, sponsored by the city, has become a fixture for fresh food and conversation. It has not, however, led to more customers for small-business owners nearby.

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Aaron Landau, a regular shopper since the first farmers market here in 1993, said he has become so friendly with some of the farmers that he invited one of them, citrus grower Steve White, to his wedding.

“We got to know him here. We even got our two cats from him seven years ago,” Landau said as he filled a brown bag with a dozen oranges. “This guy is like the mayor of the market.”

Demonstrating the outgoing personality that draws people to his corner spot, White offered two children several orange slices to taste.

“We’ve got quite a following, people who know myself and my wife,” said White. “If it wasn’t for population growth, the farmers markets wouldn’t be as lucrative as they are.”

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Landau, a literature teacher at El Cajon Valley High School, enjoys shopping at the market for fresh produce. And because it provides “the social interaction that people don’t get in other places.”

Bringing the country to the city has been the hallmark of farmers markets since the first one started in Vista in 1981. There are about two dozen in the county, one in almost every city, with San Diego hosting a handful.

The markets, which are certified by the state, are designed for small growers who want to sell directly to the public. The produce must be sold by a grower in California and must meet state quality standards.

Most growers sell out of trucks with a tail gate down, or a van with an open side door. The produce, flowers and foodstuffs are displayed on tables or in buckets usually under tents.

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Gina Valdivia helped a couple of customers pick out the best tomatoes. Valdivia Farms, based in Carlsbad, has been selling at the market since it opened.

Her uncle, Francisco Valdivia, is the farmer. He employs family members to work at the markets.

“I have five years here,” she said while weighing a bag of baby vegetables.

In its small municipal parking lot along Allison Avenue, the La Mesa Farmers Market doesn’t have much room to grow bigger, said manager Suzanne Bendixen.

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“We’ve definitely grown as far as clientele, and we have farmers who have been there since day one,” she said.

Elke Ertle of the city said the “intent was to bring people to the downtown, to get people to know the downtown and help the merchants get people downtown.”

But that didn’t happen, exactly.

Patty O’Reilly, president of the La Mesa Village Merchants Association, said 90 percent of the business owners like it even though it uses parking spots and hasn’t increased business that much.

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“It surprised us mightily,” she said. “What happens is people come to the market, buy their veggies and go home.”

But citrus grower White said he likes La Mesa and recommends that people visit if the subject comes up.

“For the last two years we’ve done most of our Christmas shopping in La Mesa. We know restaurants in the area so we make recommendations to people,” he said.

Despite living in San Carlos now, former La Mesa resident Leslie Nelson still comes downtown for her produce shopping, usually with her two daughters.

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They love the popcorn. She loves the fruit, vegetables and flowers.

“I always come home with a lot of stuff,” she said.

It has also helped some sellers branch out.

Anis Ben Haj Wahia started making hummus in different flavors in his restaurant under the Baba Food label about five years ago. That’s when he started selling at the Escondido market; he added more markets a few months later, including La Mesa’s. Now he has a production plant in Otay Mesa to produce hummus for the Costco stores.

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“The farmers markets were the best experience for me,” he said. “It was a place to start and build some capital. And the people are so friendly.”